---
title: intercept — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «intercept» in the school dictionary: To stop someone or something on the way and catch or block it before it gets where it was going: intercept a pass. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# intercept

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** catch, intercept, line, defender, Codebreakers, police · **What happens:** stop, block, get, go, intercept, catch · **To what, where:** someone, way, catch, pass, messages, letter · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«intercept» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [intercept in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/intercept.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To stop someone or something on the way and catch or block it before it gets where it was going: intercept a pass.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:m1:1
# text = To stop someone or something on the way and catch or block it before it gets where it was going: intercept a pass.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	conj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	catch	catch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	block	block	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
17	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	20	advmod	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
19	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
22	intercept	intercept	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	xcomp	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	pass	pass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  | the way and catch |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality someone=Eventuality |
| 2 | **block** | infinitive |  | catch |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer it=Theme |
| 3 | **get** | present | catch |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **go** | past · progressive | catch |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **intercept** | infinitive | catch *not said here* | a pass |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pass=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To secretly catch messages meant for someone else: intercept a letter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:m2:1
# text = To secretly catch messages meant for someone else: intercept a letter.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	catch	catch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	_
8	else	else	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	intercept	intercept	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | to-infinitive |  | messages |  |  |  | secretly *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | participle |  | messages *not said here* |  |  |  | for someone | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot for someone=Attribute |
| 3 | **intercept** | infinitive |  | a letter |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: maths — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An intercept is the point where a line or graph crosses an axis: the y-intercept.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:m3:1
# text = An intercept is the point where a line or graph crosses an axis: the y-intercept.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	intercept	intercept	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	graph	graph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	crosses	cross	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	axis	axis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	intercept	intercept	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a intercept | the point and the y intercept |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cross** | present | a line or graph | a axis |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent axis=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The defender intercepted the pass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x1:1
# text = The defender intercepted the pass.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	defender	defender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	intercepted	intercept	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pass	pass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **intercept** | past | the defender | the pass |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pass=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Codebreakers intercepted secret messages in the war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x2:1
# text = Codebreakers intercepted secret messages in the war.
1	Codebreakers	Codebreakers	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	intercepted	intercept	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **intercept** | past | Codebreakers | secret messages |  | the war |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police intercepted the stolen car.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x3:1
# text = The police intercepted the stolen car.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	intercepted	intercept	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	stolen	steal	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **intercept** | past | the police | the stolen car |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent car=Theme |
| 2 | **steal** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The line y = 2x + 3 has a y-intercept of 3.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x4:1
# text = The line y = 2x + 3 has a y-intercept of 3.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	9	punct	_	_
5	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	8	cc	_	_
8	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	conj	_	_
9	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	intercept	intercept	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | 2 x | a y intercept of 3 |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent intercept=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Find where the graph intercepts the x-axis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x5:1
# text = Find where the graph intercepts the x-axis.
1	Find	find	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	5	advmod	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	graph	graph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	intercepts	intercept	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	axis	axis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **intercept** | present | the graph | the x axis |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent axis=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The goalkeeper intercepted the cross.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x6:1
# text = The goalkeeper intercepted the cross.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	goalkeeper	goalkeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	intercepted	intercept	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cross	cross	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **intercept** | past | the goalkeeper | the cross |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cross=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But while looking for the truth, came the evil one, the father of lies, to intercept him.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:intercept:x7:1
# text = But while looking for the truth, came the evil one, the father of lies, to intercept him.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
2	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	evil	evil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	appos	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	intercept	intercept	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
20	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for the truth | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for truth=Theme |
| 2 | **come** | past |  | the evil one |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location one=Theme |
| 3 | **intercept** | to-infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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